Cut orange felt into long triangle shape for the beak, and glue onto egg. Glue 2 eyes just above beak, glue small colored feather to the center back of the egg. If you want to be able to open the egg, glue feather just above the opening!

Fill with your favorite treats, fun for an egg hunt or a adorable center piece!

Add a little love with these simple beaded wire hearts. Embellish cards, gift bags, or make a Valentine center piece!

Materials:

Glass seed beads

Matching larger bead

24 gauge wire

Wire cutters

Needle nose pliers

Directions:

Cut your wire and curl around one end with needle nose pliers to stop the beads from coming off, start sliding beads on to the wire.

For a 2″ finished heart, you will need to start with about 10” of wire.

You want to have about 1 1/2” (or more) of just wire on each end. Gently bend the wire in the center with equal number of beads on each side. Cut off the end that you curled up, and slide a larger bead though both wires.

Slide the larger bead all the to the smaller seed beads, take one of the wires and wrap around between the small seed beads and larger bead, you might have to cut off some the the wire!

Now take the other wire and curl it into a small circle with your needle nose pliers, and gently bend it towards to larger bead. You only need about 1″ of wire, so you might need to cut the wire before curling it. Or you can just bend the wire and wrap it, just like the other wire!

Now I know it’s not looking like a heart yet!! With your fingers gently bend the wired wrapped end down into the center, and then shape with your fingers!

Done!!

I like to embellish cards with the beaded hearts!

I found the best way to attach the wire heart to the card stock is to sew it on! With needle and matching thread, 3 to 4 small stitches, your card will be a kept sake!

For a Valentine center piece, I spray painted a small branch white, filled a bud vase with pearls, and hung red beaded hearts on the branches!

Stop… do not throw away that magazine, recycle and make beads. Yes these beads are just strips of magazine pages rolled into a bead. Grab some glue and lets make these easy beads. This is a great project for older children!

Pull out pages that you want to use from the magazine, I like finding colorful pages. Cut pages into long triangles, the fatter end will determine the length of the bead, the longer you cut the triangle, the fatter the bead will be.

Lets make a bead(s), place the side you want seen down and place a double stick square about a 1/4″ from the top (the larger end). Place a small plastic straw on the top and start to roll, you want the tape to stick and hold the paper not on the straw, this makes it so easy to slide the finished bead off.

I outlined the tape, see how it is not all the way at the top. I have found this step makes it faster and easier to make the bead, if you do not have double stick tape, glue will work but you need to keep the bead moving around the straw or it will not slide off.

Now add a line of Tacky Glue and keep rolling to the end.

There will be glue that comes out the sides, with your fingers rub the glue over the bead and slide of straw to dry.

You can make this beads in any size.

Lay the bead(s) on wax paper to dry (do not let them touch each other). When they are dry I like to paint a coat of gloss varnish sealer. Slide the beads on to long wooden skewers, paint a coat of sealer, and use a jar to balance the skewer on top to let the dry.

You do not want the sealer to get on the skewer, it will make it hard to get the beads off. When dry slide off.

Now what to do with all the beads….lets make a necklace.

I’m using eye pins, but you could use wire and roll each end to hold the jump rings. I start with a small seed bead, then a larger bead, the magazine bead, larger bead, and end with seed bead on eye pin. With needle nose pliers round the end to make a closed circle.

When all beads are on the eye pins, open and attach a jump to the ends, keep going until you have the length you want. I made two strands, one with 24 beads and the other with 22.

This necklace cost under $5 and I love the colorful look.

A quicker way to put together this necklace is to string the beads on leather cord or hemp! Tie a knot to hold magazine bead in place and maybe add some small glass beads or wooden beads, tie the ends together and you a have a one of a kind necklace. This project is great for older children, they can make them for all their friends!

They grow up so fast, cherish the moments! These hand prints are easy and make great memories, it’s much fun to see how much they have grown for year to year and with a picture on the back, it’s the perfect keep sake! You will want to make more than one…one for you, one for grandmother, and one for the scrapbook! How cute would these hand prints be if made into a Christmas card!

***Note* I used acrylic paints for the snowman and Santa, be aware most acrylic paints will not wash out of clothing!

Santa hand print: on green card stock, paint red acrylic paint on thumb and across top of palm, paint flesh tone paint in the palm of the hand, and white on the four fingers, (when painting the hand try not to run the colors into each other) and place hand on paper. After print has dried, dip the child’s finger in white paint let or help child make a mustache using their finger, several finger prints across the bottom of the hat and one finger print on end of hat. Red or light red finger print for his nose, and two finger print eyes in gray (or blue). Once all dry, cut the Santa print out, punch small hole for a ribbon, add name and date….and of course a picture on the back.

Snowman hand print: Paint or dip child’s hand in white paint, and press hand on green card stock, let dry. For the snowman’s hats and scarf I used acrylic paint and small paint brush, orange paint for each carrot nose (paint pens and Sharpie markers will work), for the eyes and mouth I used a fine point Sharpie marker and the blue bow, green hearts and white arms are gel pens. Once all dry I punch a snowflake in the hand and add another snowflake, 2 snowflakes because it’s a 2 year old!! Cut the green paper around hand, back with red card stock, cut into hand shape and add white card stock, cutting in the hand shape. Punch small hole and add ribbon for hanging, add name and date to front or back…and a picture on back!

Little Deer “Rudolph” hand print: Trace the hand, and cut it out of light brown card stock, cut green glitter paper for back, punch a small hole for ribbon on the green paper where the deer will cover the hole. With small hole punch (or extra large needle) punch hole between thumb and pointer finger of the cut out hand, string a small bell on ribbon and pull through hole and tie, place 3-D scrapbook adhesives squares on back, and place on to green glitter paper. Using Tacky Glue, glue small red pom pom for nose, and glue small sticks for antlers, with brown fine point marker or gel pen add eye and mouth. I added 3 small snowflakes, because it’s a 3 year old hand print! Add name and date to front or back, and a picture on the back. I used my corner rounder punch on each corner!

I like adding my painted and traced hands to my scrapbook, but for the little deer these antlers would not work! Instead I used a brown Sharpie and make the antlers and made a red nose with paint!

Hope you are inspired!

Make an extra one each year and save, to give your child when all grown up!!

Transform a plain glass or plastic ornament into a beaded glittery gem!

Materials:

Glass or plastic plain Christmas ornaments (no added designs)

Mosaic Mercantile (glass tile glue) or Weldbond Glue

DecoArt Craft Twinkles in Crystal

Paint brush

Seed glass beads

Glass bugle beads

Ribbon 1/4″ to cover hanger top

Pipe cleaners or hook for hanging during drying time

Directions:

This will work on any color of glass or plastic ornaments. Glue ribbon around the top of each ornament, or glue bugle beads around the top. Paint a coat of Crystal Twinkles on each ornament, let dry.

Lets talk glue, I do like the Mosaic Mercantile glue the best…but not all craft stores carry this brand. I order it www.mosaicmercantile.com. Weldbond will work (slower dry time). You should have not problem finding the Crystal Twinkles, you might want to buy two…I love this paint!

Run a thin line of glue in an “S” shape, and place bugle bead in glue. Let dry before moving on. (I like to use pipe cleaner for hangers) If you are making more than one, the glue will set up in less than 10 minutes, so you could make an assembly line and just keep going making several at a time.

Keep going until you have covered the ornament with your design. Just be careful that you make thin glue lines.

Add 3 red seed beads to each end of the “S”, and 3 green seed beads in center of “S”.

I found my wooden letter on clearance at Michaels, they are 1/4 thick and 10 1/2″ tall. This process will work on wooden or paper letters. Trace each letter and on back side of paper, make sure you have the letter in the correct direction. Cut each out, checking the fit, trim if needed.

Paint the edges (sides) of the letters and paint the backs if you want. If your wooden letters are rough give them a light sandy first.

Brush a coat of Mod Podge on to the wooden letter, make sure the Mod Podge goes to the edge. Place your paper letter on top, gently pushing in place, making sure of the fit (move gently if needed). With the side of the paint brush, run it gently across the papered letter pushing out the extra Mod Podge with your finger remove the extra glue. Brush on a coat of Mod Podge on top of paper, let dry. Do the same to the star.

Once totally dry, with sandpaper, sand the edges, the wooden part up into the paper giving a rustic look.

Clear off all sandy dust, and paint a coat of clear (satin or gloss) sealer/varnish, let dry.

When dry pull a ribbon or clear fishing line through hole in star and tie onto wreath.

Every year I love having my holiday candle exchange party just with the girls! Instead of an ornaments, I came up with exchanging holiday candle or holder, so everyone goes home with a beautiful candle (and I always make a party favor). It so much fun, but the twist is…it can not cost more than $8.00!! So everyone gets very creative, they want to hear the biggest WOW…and I wanted that one! Ok enough about the party..so this my candle holder idea that one of my friend will get! With a sheet of white tissue, scissors, Mod Podge, a brush and glass vase or recycle a jar, done!!

Materials:

Any glass vase or jar or recycle a glass jar

Mod Podge Gloss

White tissue paper 1 sheet

Scissors

Paint brush

Old paint brush

Candle

Optional: DecoArt Twinlkes glitter paint in Crystal

Directions:

Cut snowflakes from the white tissue paper. If you are using a recycled (used) sheet of tissue, iron it with low setting to smooth, making it easier to fold and cut. Remember snowflakes are about the folding and they should be unique! I cut more than I needed, but I used about 16 snowflakes in all different sizes and shapes.

Wash and dry the outside your vase or jar.

Brush an even coat of Mod Podge on the front side of the vase, gently place a snowflake in the glue. Paint a coat of Mod Podge gently over the snowflake. Once the tissue is in the glue, it will tear or move easily.

Now go over the entire area with Mod Podge using an up-down movement. You want to create texture and cover up any brush strokes. This can be done after you do each snowflake or after all snowflake are glued in place.

Let dry! If you should notice any areas where brush stokes are noticable, add more Mod Podge in the up-down motion.

Loved the shape of this jar, sprung white glass beads on wire and wrapped around the top. This will make a perfect Christmas gift!

If you like a little sparkle, add a coat of DecoArt Twinkles in Crystal (glitter paint)!

My sister ask my to come up with an unique and inexpensive gift that she could give her girl friends who where putting together a big birthday party for her (one of those birthdays with a big number)! I came up with the Circle of Friendship beaded charm. It’s a wire ring wrapped with seed beads that you slide onto your favorite chain and I found a beautiful friendship poem to put with it.

I wish I could give credit to the author of this beautiful poem, but I do not know the author.

Materials:

Seed beads

26 gauge wire like Darice brand permanently colored copper wire

Small metal ring or washer

Wire cutters

I had an old circle chain from another project and liked the larger size ring, but any solid ring will work. Cut about an 18″ long piece of the 26 gauge wire ( if the wire is too long it’s hard to work with and you can always add more) wrap a few times around the ring, then start stringing on some seed beads (not too many) on the wire and start wrapping around the ring. You may need to use your fingers to hold the beads in place while wrapping. I like to go all the way around one time then go back in the other direction one time.

The more times you go around adding beads the larger/thicker the ring will become. If you use a washer that is already thicker, you will have a different look.

The ring I’m using is only about 3/4th of an inch!

When you have all the beads on, wrap the wire (with no beads) around a few times pushing it down into the beads and cut off what you do not need, pushing cut end down into the beads (making sure the sharp end is not sticking out). It takes me about 20 minutes to make one charm, making this a fast, inexpensive and unique gift!

Now your Circle of Friendship charm is ready for you to slide onto your favorite chain/cord or give a gift to a special friend.

The 26 gauge wire comes in a lot of colors, it’s by Darice in a 30 yard roll for $2.50 (no coupon) and the seed bead comes in all colors, you can get small packages for $1 to $1.50 (no coupon). If you are like me and love the 40% off craft coupons from Jo Ann, this project would be under $3.00 (using coupons) and you could make about 10 charms!!

Each charm is different, unique, and worn close to your heart, as each friend is special in their own way and always close to your heart!

How adorable is this snowman made out of grape vine wreaths! This idea has been around for awhile, but he is so simple to make and fun to add your own personal touches too! He can hang from your front door or hang him inside. Even quicker, make him out of green wreaths.

Materials:

1 18″ grape vine wreath

2 12″ grape vine wreaths

Foam black hat

Red felt 56” long by 8” wide ( about 1/4 yard)

2 Bells 1 1/2″

1 Bell 1″

1 1/2″ Red ribbon for hat about 14” long

3/8” Silver ribbon (about 1 yard)

Black wire or black pipe cleaner

3 white pipe cleaners or wire

1 red pipe cleaner

2 silver plastic 2 1/2″ ornaments for “buttons”

1 can White spray paint

Scissors

Optional: bird for top of hat, 4 snowflake picks, holy pick for side of hat

Directions:

The first and second wreaths are both 12″ in size, however I did look through all the wreaths to find one smaller than the other!!

Start by spray painting white all 3 wreaths. You can leave them natural or even use green wreaths, it’s all about the look you want. While the wreaths are drying, cut the foam black hat in half. I found this hat at Michaels ($3.99 without coupon).

Once the paint is dry, lay out the smaller 12″, the other 12” and then the 18” wreath, with white pipe cleaners attach them together (12″, 12″ 18″). With a black pipe cleaner or wire, attach the hat to the top of the wreath. The wire or pipe cleaner easily pushes through the foam hat, and around the wreath.

With a white pipe cleaner or wire make a hanger, under the hat on the wreath, this will give a hanger for a door hook or nail. Wrap ribbon around the hat and add a holy pick.

At this point I think it is easier to work on him hanging up, slide him on a door hang! Add the bird to the top of the hat.

For the scarf I’m using red felt, but if I had a holiday scarf I would have used it! Cut the felt 56″ long (longer if you like) by 8″ wide, cut “fringe” on each end. Lay out the scarf and fold over each side, this way you will not see any raw edges! Now wrap scarf around the snowman and just loop it on, it’s too thick to make a full knot!

String all 3 bells onto a red pipe cleaner, then wrap bells around scarf and tie onto wreath, keeping the scarf and bells in place.

Slide plastic (silver) ornament onto 3/8” silver ribbon, slide one end of the ribbon through wreath, tie ends in a bow and let the ornament hang down. Tie ornament/ribbon on the other wreath…how cut are the snowman buttons!!

Add a few snowflake picks.

Done!!

The wreaths were about $4.88 each (without a coupon!!), 1/4 of a yard of red felt $1, foam hat $3.99 (without a coupon), bells $1, holiday picks (4 snowflakes, 1 bird, 1 holy) on sale $2.50 and spray paint from Home Depot under $2, I had the ribbon and pipe cleaners! Using coupons with Snowman cost under $15.00.